WHAT THINK YE OF CHRIST?

Text: MATTHEW 22:41-46

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INTRODUCTION:

1. Of all of the interesting questions asked by Jesus, this one is my favorite (22:42a).
2. Undoubtedly every one gathered here has thought about the Lord Jesus Christ, some more than others. Many of us have grown up in religious homes where we heard His name mentioned often.
3. Others have grown up in irreligious homes where His name was used only as a curse word.
4. Many people have never read the Bible but they still have some thoughts concerning Jesus.
5. And even though most men want nothing to do with Him, nevertheless they still must think of Him.
6. If you or I were to put this question to the average man on the street, he would probably feel very uncomfortable. "What think ye of Christ?" He might start to squirm. But if you were to ask him what he thought about Rudy Giuliani or Daryl Strawberry or Ronald McDonald he would have no problem giving you his opinion.
7. And yet in a few years, most people will forget about these politicians and athletes and other celebrities. But they will never forget about Jesus Christ (cf. Phil.2:9-11).
8. As we look at our text we note that our Lord was speaking to a crowd of Pharisees (22:41,42a). Therefore, we will first look at their response to His question: "What think ye of Christ?"
9. Then we will consider what people, especially influential religious people, think about Christ.
10. And then thirdly, and most importantly, we will consider what the Bible has to say about Christ. This is vitally important because if what you think of Christ does not match up with what the Bible says about Christ, you may be lost and on your way to hell.

1. WHAT THE PHARISEES THOUGHT OF CHRIST

1. The Pharisees were the religious leaders of that day. They were very influential. They were also wicked, unregenerate religious hypocrites (cf. Matt.23:13-15).
2. They had been trying to trick our Lord into saying something, anything, that they could use against Him (Matt.22:15-18).
3. Our Lord rebuked these religious hypocrites, and told them: "Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God" (22:29). The same could be said about the vast majority of religious leaders today. They do not know the Scriptures, and they do not know the power of God.
4. So on this particular day, the Pharisees were busy asking our Lord trick questions (22:34-36). And now our Lord decides to turn the tables on them. He asked them, "What think ye of Christ?" (22:41,42a).
5. They had a ready answer: "The son of David" (22:42b). But it was obvious that they did not believe that Jesus really was Christ (i.e., the Jewish Messiah), the Son of David.
6. Their answer suggests that they understood the OT prophecies concerning the human descent of the Messiah (cf. II Sam.7:12,13).
7. Perhaps they even understood the divine descent of the Messiah (cf. Isa.9:6,7). But they certainly did not believe that Jesus was their Messiah.
8. You may believe that Jesus is the Messiah. You may even believe that He is God. But is He your Lord and Saviour?
9. Our Lord exposed their unbelief by referring to Psalm 110:1. Psalm 110:1 affirms the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is "Lord" (Matt.22:43).
10. Our Lord also affirmed the inspiration of the Bible – "David in spirit" means, "David said by the Holy Spirit" (cf. Mark 12:36).
11. So how could David call his son "Lord"? The answer is simple: the Messiah was descended from David, and the Messiah was God manifest in the flesh. Jesus Christ was both God and man.
12. The Pharisees were silent (Matt.22:46). This would have been the right time to acknowledge Jesus as their Saviour, but this they would not do. They hated Him and they rejected Him, and soon they would have Him crucified.
13. Unsaved friend: This is the right time for you to acknowledge Jesus Christ as your Saviour. Acknowledge that you are a sinner and that Christ died for your sins on the cross.
14. Do not let this opportunity pass you by. You may never have another opportunity.

2. WHAT PEOPLE TODAY THINK OF CHRIST?

1. "What think ye of Christ?" This question is the touchstone of truth. We are surrounded today by every type of church, denomination, and weird cult. You do not have to spend too much time reading their literature. Just ask them, "What think ye of Christ?"
2. Let us ask the Episcopal bishop of NJ, John Shelby Spong. Mr. Spong, "What think ye of Christ?" Mr. Spong does not believe that Jesus was born of a virgin. He does not believe He died for our sins. He does not believe He rose from the dead. It is obvious Mr. Spong believes in "another Jesus" (cf. II Cor.11:4).
3. Unfortunately, he is not alone in his unbelief. Many of the ministers in the other denominations teach the same heresies. Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, yea, even some Baptists – many of these professing Christians do not believe that Jesus Christ is the sinless Son of God who came down to earth from heaven to die on the cross for our sins.
4. Then there are the cults and isms – SDA, JW, Mormonism, etc. We must ask them, "What think ye of Christ?" The SDA and JW’s teach that Christ is Michael the archangel! How terrible. The Bible says Christ is eternal God (John 1:1). He created "all things" (John 1:3,9), including all the angels, including Michael the archangel.
5. The Mormons are growing by leaps and bounds, especially in Latin America where the people have been kept in darkness by the RCC. Therefore, it is important that we ask a Mormon, "Sir, what think ye of Christ?"
6. The Mormons teach that Jesus is the elder brother of Lucifer, the devil! They teach He was born as the result of a physical union between God the Father and Mary! The Mormons teach that Jesus was married to both Martha and Mary! The Mormons teach that there are sins which Christ’s blood cannot cleanse, and therefore man must atone for these sins himself! But the Bible says, "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin" (I John 1:7).
7. I think we have heard enough from the Mormons. No one who believes the Bible could ever fall for their strange and wicked teachings.
8. Let us ask Rev. Moon. Mr. Moon, "What think ye of Christ?" Mr. Moon says that Christ failed when He died on the cross and so now Mr. Moon is the Saviour of the world. Have you noticed that all of the cults are wrong when it comes to the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ?
9. What about the Muslims? They are pouring into England and America, and building mosques all over the Christian world. We must ask them, "What think ye of Christ?" Muslims do not believe Jesus Christ is God. Also, they reject the doctrine of Christ’s substitutionary atonement. They do not see themselves as lost sinners in need of forgiveness, and so they reject the only One who can save them.
10. Let us ask our Jewish friends what they think of Christ. Their holy book is the Talmud, a collection of traditions going back to the early Christian era. This blasphemous book teaches that Mary, the mother of our Lord was a harlot, who bore Jesus by a Roman soldier.
11. No wonder most Jewish people are spiritually blind, They have been deceived by their rabbis. And yet the same Jesus who they hate so vehemently is the same Jesus who died on the cross to save them (cf. Matt.23:37-39).

3. WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT CHRIST

1. There are hundreds books available about Jesus. But there is only ONE BOOK that is authoritative and reliable and trustworthy, and that is the Bible, God’s Holy Word.
2. Let us look in our Bible, and see what an unsaved heathen had to say about Jesus. Pontius Pilate was the governor of Judea. Pilate, what think ye of Christ? (Luke 23:4).
3. And what does your wife think of Christ? (Matt.27:19-22).
4. What about Judas Iscariot? He spent three years with our Lord. Judas Iscariot, "What think ye of Christ?" (Matt.27:3,4).
5. How about the Roman centurion? He was present at the crucifixion. He heard our Lord speak from the cross. He saw Christ give up the ghost and die. Mr. Centurion, "What think ye of Christ?" (Matt.27:54).
6. Have you noticed that these were the words of the unconverted? – Pilate, his wife, Judas Iscariot, and the Roman centurion. What about our Lord’s friends and disciples?
7. Let us ask John the Baptist, the man who baptized Jesus in the Jordan River. John, "What think ye of Christ?" John said, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29).
8. How about Thomas, one of the twelve apostles. He doubted that our Lord had risen from the dead, but then He saw the risen Saviour, and put hlis fingers in His wounded side. Thomas, "What think ye of Christ?" Thomas said: "My Lord and my God" (John 20:28).
9. What about the great apostle Paul? Paul said He is "God manifest in the flesh" (I Tim.3:16).
10. These are all excellent witnesses – John the Baptist, Thomas, and the apostle Paul, but there is one much greater whom we have not asked, and that is God the Father. Our Father which art in heaven, "What think ye of Christ?" (Matt.3:16,17; 17:5; Heb.1:8).

CONCLUSION:

1. Let us get back to our text (Matt.22:41,42). Our Lord originally put this question to the Pharisees. But we have not asked them yet what they think of Christ (Luke 15:1,2).
2. The Pharisees hated Christ because He receiveth sinners, and yet this is why we love Him. For if He did not receive sinners we would still be lost and on our way to hell.
3. Unsaved friend: Won’t you come to Christ now before it is too late?